THE MICROSCOPE. ' 45 



The doctor understood our ambition better than he thought 

 when he said our work "would do for babes." We have no desire 

 to lend the columns of this journal to those persons who take delight 

 in discussing those microscopical problems which result in good to 

 the few only. To understand the handling of high powers, to be 

 able to resolve difficult tests, to know a great deal about "angular 

 aperture," all these are desirable, though as private workers they 

 may interest us personally, yet we positively declare they are not the 

 things this journal hopes to make more clear. The prominent idea 

 we wish this journal to convey is, that "expert" work is not neces- 

 sary in order to get satisfactory results from the use of the micro- 

 scope in medicine and pharmacy. AVe know that for the money, 

 time and labor given, nothing can bring the physician or pharmacist 

 better returns than the microscope. 



Some men, like the author of the sentence at the head of this 

 article, take delight in conveying the idea that it is a truly wonder- 

 ful thing to be able to use a microscope, no results only from long 

 experience, only a few can ever learn to use the instrument, etc. We 

 shall have occasion, again and again, to disabuse our readers of this 

 idea. A few hours reading will start any man on the right road to 

 the successful examination of the secretions and excretions of the 

 body. The catalogues of our advertisers will show that for fifty 

 dollars, even less, an instrument can be purchased with a one inch 

 and one-fourth inch objectives of sufficient quality to do ordinary 

 work, hence the price cannot be the great drawback. To be sure we 

 may belong to the "babes" for a time, nevertheless the solid results 

 will come in at once and we will be able to write "value received" 

 over the bill for the microscope before the "thirty days" have expir- 

 ed. We intend, then to fill the columns of this journal with matter 

 that shall prove the practical value of the microscope to physicians 

 and pharmacists, and as the theoretical will be avoided to a large 

 extent and the practical made as prominent as possible, we shall be 

 happy in remaining one of the "babes." 



IT is certainly very sad that our friend of the Hera /d cdninot even 

 read correctly. Now see here, brother J. B. M. you say you 

 read our salutatory carefully, then just point out to us where we say, 

 <' We do not believe, however, that we are pioneers, etc." That little 



